Score and Chronicle Italian Cup Quarterfinals Frecciarossa
PROSECCO DOC IMOCO-MEGABOX VALLEFOGLIA 3-0
(25-18,25-22,25-20)
Prosecco DOC Imoco: Gabi 14, Zhu 10, Fahr 13, Seki, Lubian 4, De Gennaro, Haak 16, Wolosz , Adigwe 3, Lanier ne, Lukasik, Chirichella ne, Bardaro ne, Eckl ne. All. Santarelli Megabox Vallefoglia: Giovannini 6, Candi 4, Perović, Lee 7, Weitzel 8, Bici 16, De Bortoli, Michieletto ne, Feduzzi ne, Carletti 3, Torcolacci, Lazda, Kobzar. All. Pistola
Referees: Caretti and Rossi
Spectators: 5,230
Set duration: 24′,26′,28′
Notes: Batting errors Co 8, Vf 5; Aces: 2-2; Walls: 9-5
MVP: Fahr
On the court at Palaverde today Prosecco DOC Imoco Volleyball and Megabox Savio Vallefoglia for the quarterfinal dry match, with qualification for the Final Four on February 8 and 9 in Bologna at stake.
Before the start, a dutiful minute of silence to the memory of the great coach Daniele Bagnoli, who wrote the history of Italian volleyball in Modena and Treviso for many years:
Coach Santarelli after the post-world championship turnover lines up from the start in front of the 5,000 people of the Villorba facility at the dribble Wolosz with Haak opposite, at the center Fahr and Lubian, slappers the stars Zhu and Gabi, free the eternal De Gennaro. Coach Pistola for Vallefoglia presents from the start Perovic-Bici, Candi-Witzel ,Giovannini-Lee (former), free the other former De Bortoli.
The Megabox’ start of the match is very lively, Simone Lee repeatedly pierces the home wall (2-4), but Zhu immediately equalizes after a good team defense. Suddenly Gabi and Zhu pull valuable shots out of the hat, then Fahr punishes the Marche defense on the counterattack and the Panthers accelerate: 9-7. After the guests’ time out, there is Gabi’s wall and Prosecco DOC Imoco runs away (11-7). Vallefoglia alternates good things with some mistakes and Conegliano holds the lead (16-13), despite an inspired Lee (7 points). Olympian Giovannini with a couple of effective attacks keeps the guests in the match, it takes Moki De Gennaro’s best defense and the broadsides of Gabi and Haak (11 points between the two in the set) to stretch again (19-15). The actions become more intense, the pace picks up and Megabox suffers, forced into error by the yellow-blue pressure (23-17). An excellent Fahr (6 points in the set) places the ace and Conegliano closes 25-18 the first set.
The second set saw a good start by Sarah Fahr, called to work successfully on repeat by captain Wolosz, but Vallefoglia confirmed its pacing. There is Carletti in place of Lee, still not at her best, and with Giovannini and Bici she responds blow by blow (7-7). It continues on the tracks of balance, the first mini-break is thanks to Zhu, precise and concrete, and to a Sarah Fahr in great form (100% in attack in the set, she will be MVP at the end with 13 points, 3 walls and 63% in attack) who dominates under the net with sprawling walls (11-9). The Marche attackers go off the rails, then Wolosz sends Zhu to score without a wall and coach Pistola calls time out at 14-10 for Prosecco DOC Imoco. Another yellowoblù “spurt” with defenses by Gabi and De Gennaro, then again Fahr on the wall for the 17-10 that digs a furrow difficult to recover for Candi and her teammates.
On 19-13 Adiwge and Seki also enter for the double change, then Lukasik for Zhu as well, and a gasp of the guests also arrives (19-15), promptly repulsed by the attack of the young yellow-blue opposite. The finale is exciting, Megabox goes back up to -2 (22-20), Adiwge takes care of bringing back the +3. In the final, Conegliano also makes some mistakes (23-22), but Zhu Ting, unleashed in the set (8 points with 66% attack and 2 walls!), places the wall that closes the hostilities on 25-22 and it’s 2-0.
Even in the third set similar trend, Megabox puts in effort and quality, proving to be a level team, but Wolosz and companions when needed bring out the physicality and talent of a group still undefeated since the beginning of the season. Prosecco DOC Imoco takes a good lead (13-9), Giovannini and her teammates, however, always remain there threatening, ready to take advantage of a drop by the home team. Bici (16 points at the end) signs -1 (13-12) with one of her second line shots, but Haak and Fahr darken the valley at the wall (14-12). Without fireworks, but with a lot of concreteness, Coach Santarelli’s team moves forward briskly to win the partial and the match. On Gabi’s point (14 at the end) of 18-14 inside the double change for the Panthers, De Gennaro in director-version immediately serves Adiwge for 19-15.
Until the last the set is balanced, Weitzel at the net seals the -1 (21-20), time out by coach Santarelli who does not want to take any risks. It’s Isabelle Haak’s turn (she will close as the Gialloblù’s top scorer with 16 points, 3 muti) to seal the decisive points with her impressive broadsides: 25-20 and it ends with yet another 3-0 success for Prosecco DOC Imoco that qualifies to applause for the Final Four.
With this success, which crowns a fairytale 2024 for the Panthers, Prosecco DOC Imoco Volleyball has qualified for the Final Four of the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa to be played Feb. 8 and 9 in Bologna-Casalecchio. Opponent of the semifinal will be Igor Novara, while in the other challenge Numia Milano and Savino del Bene Scandicci will cross each other.
See you in 2025, on January 5 Wolosz and companions will be back on the court at Palaverde for the championship against SMA Roma, presale already active on Vivaticket. Happy New Year!
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(Photo M.Gregolin)